Battle of the Centaurs and the Lapiths

The painting depicts a mythic battle on a windswept shoreline between Lapiths and centaurs, with a cluster of muscular fighters and a partially nude woman in white and red drapery in the foreground. The composition uses overlapping diagonals and a central forward thrust of figures to convey intense movement, set against a moody stormy sky and a pale sea. Bouguereau’s polished, academic style is evident in the precise anatomy, flawless brushwork, and carefully rendered draperies, with a warm palette of flesh tones, greens, and reds contrasted against the somber sky.